ABOUT USMeet The Pan Aqua Diving Team

Pan Aqua has been in business for over 30 years, teaching New Yorkers to scuba dive, providing quality equipment and service. Our courses are designed to help you develop and expand your interest so that you may enjoy this unique sport safely and competently. We offer training at all levels, from novice through instructor.

Zagat rated, NYC shoppers say, "For a wonderful selection of scuba diving and snorkeling gear and expert servicing on the premises, paddle over to this Hell's Kitchen shop. We are also rated in New York Magazine as a Best of New York.

Please visit our store for all your diving needs. Whatever you need to keep you comfortable in the water, we have. Our knowledgeable staff will help you select the best equipment for your dive related needs or select the best destination to fulfill your dive fantasies.

Rushawn Henry

Katie Jungers

Pawel Kosarga

Devon Longo

Lisa McIntyre

Michael Mitchell

Robert Ricke

Steve Rogan

Jim Petersen

CERTIFICATION: PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, first certified as an instructor in 1977, qualified to teach over a dozen specialties and certified 1000+ divers. Full Cave certified, Advanced Nitrox and Stage Decompression certifications.

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: One of the original founders of Pan Aqua in 1983. I work at the store 5 days a week, usually in the back office. I love local wreck diving and teach the wreck diving course.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: Loved watching Sea Hunt as a young boy and got the chance to take a scuba course at summer camp in 1963. The Explorer Scouts had one of the original certification programs.

BEST DIVE EVER: A calm summer day on the Atlantic diving the Texas Tower.

FAVORITE WRECK: USS Saratoga in the Bikini Atoll

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: Catch me at Buceo 95, Diver Bar or Dive 75 or on a bike ride.

Garry Collins

CERTIFICATION: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

# OF DIVES: I've been diving for 45 years and don't have an accurate count but it sure adds up over the years.

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I teach private classes, refreshers and nitrox.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: In the late 60's in Bermuda at the Sonesta Beach hotel I took a resort course (Double hose regs no BCD's) We dove the wreck " Marie Celeste" a Civil War Blockade runner and that was it. I still remember the big paddle wheel and schools Of barracuda as if it were yesterday.

BEST DIVE EVER: My first dive in Cocos Island with schooling hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, Marble rays, whale sharks and a sail fish.. FAVORITE CRITTER: The Flamboyant Cuttle fish is the most amazing creature. The size of a Go Pro Camera it "walks" on the bottom feeding with it's darting proboscis You can play The radiating colors on its top like a synthesizer using your hand to wax and wane the Intensity of the effect.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: With 3 children and 3 grandchildren I still have enough energy to enjoy life!

Peter M. Miklatek

CERTIFICATION: PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer I have been teaching for almost 25 years.

# OF DIVES: 2000+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I teach Open-water, advanced open water, rescue, Dry Suit, Equipment, Buoyancy, Nitrox. I arrange all of our exciting dive trips, and I lead some of them as well.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: Summer of 1987 at the West Side YMCA.

BEST DIVE EVER: Ambon, Indonesia. Saw my first and only blue ring octopus.

FAVORITE CRITTER: Any nudibranch really. Their color and textures are just amazing. WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am upstate in my woodworking studio making all kinds of neat things, I also spend a lot of time with my parrots.

Lorraine R. Nelson

CERTIFICATION: PADI MASTER SCUBA DIVER TRAINER

# OF DIVES: 1500 + and a bazillion hours in swimming pool.

AT PAN AQUA: I teach Openwater, Dry Suit, Equipment, Buoyancy, Nitrox, and run the Divemaster Program. I order all the cool toys and help folks choose what works best them; and I help get stuff fixed when gear goes wrong.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: 12 years old on Martha's Vineyard Island at Menemsha Beach. When SCUBA instructors came to town that summer I talked my parents into letting me try it...then I never stopped.

BEST DIVE EVER: North Seymour Island in The Galapagos. When we were carried off course by a strong current my buddy Marni and I found ourselves in volcanic amphitheater loaded with turtles, sharks and big schools of fish. I believe it is a spot on earth that only we have seen.

FAVORITE CRITTER: The Great Pacific Octopus. On the northern tip of Vancouver Island their is an out cropping called Dylan's Rock; that is one place you can find them and they moved like liquid through the icy seas...and they were my size.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I volunteer at the Wild Bird Fund, ride my snowboard, and hang with my 3 parrots and 21 fish... and watch way too much baseball.

Joe Jimenez

CERTIFICATION: PADI Assistant Instructor

# OF DIVES: A bunch

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I work in the shop and assist with pool classes.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: 2013 at a discover scuba experience, one breath and I was hooked.

BEST DIVE EVER: Hole in the wall, a dive site off the southern tip of Eleuthera, Bahamas. You descend through a hole with just feet on either side of you and as you near the bottom you look up and you see nothing but blue out of the side of a 5000’ wall. It is truly awe inspiring.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: You can find me working inthe shop or teaching high schoolers how to dive most days. When I’m not working I’m taking training courses to become a better diver and teacher or finding new places to eat.

Karen Sterling

# OF DIVES: Somewhere between 500 and 1,000. I stopped logging local dives at about #300, after my second circumnavigation of Dutch Springs. That was ca. 2006.

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I teach confined water courses, and conduct refreshers, PADI Reactivate, and Discover Scuba courses in the pool year round. During the local dive season, I certify Open Water, Advanced Open Water and specialty students at Dutch Springs. On Thursdays and Saturdays I enjoy helping novice and experienced divers in the store.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: In the pool at Manhattan Plaza during a Pan Aqua scuba class in October 2000. There was the initial warning from my brain - “Remember, humans can’t breathe underwater” - followed by the all encompassing “This is so cool!” when I took that first breath. I’ve been part of the Pan Aqua community ever since.

BEST DIVE EVER: Cape Bernacchi, Antarctica. I’ve done two tours as a research diver in Antarctica. Traveling by snow mobile from our remote field camp, our research team once found a colony of Weddell seals reclining and cavorting on the ice around our dive hole, which had been dynamited into the 12-foot ice cap at the beginning of the field season. In contrast to the bleak topside landscape dominated by ice, black granite and merciless sky, Antarctic waters are alive with vivid color. Visibility is limited only by the amount of light penetrating the ice ceiling: no algae growth at water temperatures of 28-30 degrees F! I also recommend the Solomon Islands for the incredible variety and mind-bending color of corals and animals.

FAVORITE CRITTER: Humpback whales. Their long migrations, social dynamics, complex repertoire of feeding techniques, and songs that evolve over years have fascinated me for years.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am a scientist and oncology researcher by training. I now work as a healthcare investment banker providing strategic advisory, fundraising and M&A services to companies in the life sciences sector. At some of my clients’ firms, I have filled interim C-Suite roles. I focus on helping early stage companies bring credible, cost efficient solutions to market, shaping the future of healthcare innovation. In my not so ample free time, I enjoy running, good food, and classic movies.

Rushawn Henry

CERTIFICATION: PADI Divemaster

# OF DIVES: 200+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I work at the store!

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA:Bush wick High School Pool, when I was age 14. I was on a class trip, that ended up changing my life forever.

BEST DIVE EVER:A dive site in Eleuthera, Bahamas called "The Cage." A 100ft, shark-proof, cage submerged in 115 ft of water. The lion fish, the barracudas and having the girl I had a crush on as a dive buddy made my dive. A home for fish and a sanctuary for humans.

Robert Butler

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: Who can ever forget the one foot visibility out in Montauk during my Open Water Check out.

BEST DIVE EVER: Well that's hard as there as been way too many fun dives, a wreck dive in North Carolina with huge schools of large pelagic fish swimming around me, a surreal cave dive in the Yucatan swimming through the halocline and watching everything go out of focus.

FAVORITE CRITTER: No particular one favorite here either, depends on the dive but who can't help like the California Sea Lions that just swam around me for an hour as I settled down on the sand and watched them play..

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I'm a professional freelance photographer and I like to run, cycle, go hiking and in general be outdoors having fun.

Angel Cancela

CERTIFICATION: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

# OF DIVES: 500+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I teach Open Water and am working toward my specialty instructor certifications.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: In 2003 in the warm, clear waters of Beach 8 th St. in the Rockaways, NYC.

BEST DIVE EVER: Honestly any dive I have ever done has always shown me something special and wonderful. The wonders of the underwater world never cease to amaze.

FAVORITE CRITTER: I love sharks and have seen a few on my dives but I desperately want to see a Hammerhead Shark!

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I enjoy cooking, riding my motorcycle, camping, reading, films and walking.

Kathryn Freund

CERTIFICATION: PADI IDC Staff Instructor

# OF DIVES: 400+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING:Instructor in the pool and at Dutch Springs. I teach Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue, EFR, Dry Suit, and Discover Scuba.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA:in class with Lorraine at the West Side Y. My only regret: not starting Scuba earlier!

BEST DIVE EVER:In Roatan, saw "String of Pearls" on a night dive: mating ostracods, or "seed shrimp." The string of lights made the sea look like the tree from Avatar--jaw-droppingly beautiful.

FAVORITE CRITTER:Caribbean Reef Squid. Beautiful, shy creatures who will hang out with you if you stay still. Buoyancy control is key! Seeing them flash is amazing.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING:I'm a Property Master in Film/TV. I love to travel and am lucky that my husband dives with me.

Maria Hults

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I love teaching the Basic open water course. The excitement of new divers is so infectious it keeps the class exciting. I am a photojournalist and teach the underwater photography class. I also teach several other specialties including underwater naturalist, night diver, deep diver, wreck diver, boat diver, search and recovery, multi-level diver, navigation, diver propulsion vehicle, rescue, and peak performance buoyancy.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: I was 10 years old and in the Bahamas with my parents. The young, and oh so good-looking, sailing instructor asked if I wanted to go diving with him on his day off. Did I ever, and another diver was born.

BEST DIVE EVER: I have always had a fondness for sharks. It was in the Maldives, at about 60 feet, when this forty-foot charmer came to swim with me. For a half-hour it was just the whale shark and I. Then, with a poke of fin, he said goodbye, sounded, and went to places I could not follow, but I shall remember him always.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am President of my own Advertising/PR agency, MultiMedia House, serve as VP Marketing for Beneath the Sea, the largest consumer dive show in the Americas, and service PR for the Woman Divers Hall of Fame, where I am an inaugural member.

Joe Jimenez

CERTIFICATION: PADI Assistant Instructor

# OF DIVES: A bunch

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I work in the shop and assist with pool classes.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: 2013 at a Discover Scuba experience, one breath and I was hooked.

BEST DIVE EVER: Hole in the wall, a dive site off the southern tip of Eleuthera, Bahamas. You descend through a hole with just feet on either side of you and as you near the bottom you look up and you see nothing but blue out of the side of a 5000’ wall. It is truly awe inspiring.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: You can find me working in the shop or teaching high schoolers how to dive most days. When I’m not working I’m taking training courses to become a better diver and teacher or finding new places to eat.

Rich Lowe

CERTIFICATION: PADI Assistant Instructor

# Of Dives:300

AT PAN AQUA DIVING:I assist Open Water training at some of our Dutch Springs trips.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA:December, 2000, USVI on a discover scuba course.

BEST DIVE EVER: Night dive on Ribbon reef in Australia with blue sharks circling us. Also had a great dive in Cozumel with lots of eagle ray activity.

FAVORITE CRITTER: Sharks, dolphins, and rays. I would love to see a whale shark and a humpback.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am a licensed NRA pistol instructor, amateur baker and cook. I do Krav Maga, and volunteer work.

Tomasz Kolodziejski

CERTIFICATION: PADI IDC Staff Instructor & PADI Tec Instructor

# OF DIVES: 350+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I most often teach Open Water & Advanced Open Water at Dutch Springs. I also help divers improve their skills by teaching specialty courses.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: Intensive weekend class with Maria Hults in 2004

Joshua Levkov

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: At Pan Aqua I assist with confined Open Water Classes and help out with Open Water certification dives for new students.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: A resort dive on the Great Barrier Reef in 1995. They handed everyone a stressed out sea cucumber and it was very uninspiring. It was years before I revisited and got certified in anticipation of a trip to Thailand in 2013. Diving at sites like the Similian Islands (Hin Daeng & Hin Muang) got me hooked for life...

BEST DIVE EVER:Night dive in Roatan, Honduras. Specifically experiencing the String of Pearls bioluminescence phenomenon. Almost the entire dive was lights out, and swimming mid-depth through the strings felt like swimming through stars. Absolutely breathtaking.

FAVORITE CRITTER:Honeycomb Cowfish. They are slow-moving, so it's relatively easy to get good photos of them. Also their horns, chunky bodies, and thick lips allow them to have very expressive faces.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I like to cook as complicated a menu as I can put together, play poker competitively, snowboard, play table-tennis, and roadbike around the tri-state area.

Peter Mckay

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: A long time ago. It was very cool. I think I saw a dinosaur swim by.

BEST DIVE EVER:My certification dive in Montauk Point, NY. It opened my eyes to a whole new world that I didn't know existed and my instructor made me realize I could actually go diving in the ocean. It was a life-changing experience.

FAVORITE CRITTER:I love to swim along side turtles as they cruise the reef. I was at a dive in Hawaii where all the turtles were at a "spa" getting their shells cleaned by blue and yellow tangs, Times like those I wish I had a camera (I didn't at the time, I do now).

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING:I'm playing tennis, writing software or taking pictures.

Peter M. Miklatek

CERTIFICATION: PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer I have been teaching for almost 25 years.

# OF DIVES: 2000+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I teach Open-water, advanced open water, rescue, Dry Suit, Equipment, Buoyancy, Nitrox. I arrange all of our exciting dive trips, and I lead some of them as well.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: Summer of 1987 at the West Side YMCA.

BEST DIVE EVER: Ambon, Indonesia. Saw my first and only blue ring octopus.

FAVORITE CRITTER: Any nudibranch really. Their color and textures are just amazing.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am upstate in my woodworking studio making all kinds of neat things, I also spend a lot of time with my parrots.

Michael Moffitt

CERTIFICATION: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

# OF DIVES: 100

AT PAN AQUA DIVING:I assist with Open Water pool sessions and run Refresher/Re-Activate courses with certified divers. You'll also find me working at nearly all our Dutch Spring trips.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA:1996 in Saint-Raphaël (French Riviera) after seeing a sign offering inexpensive scuba diving trips. I didn't speak French and they didn't speak English, but the first breath underwater hooked me!

BEST DIVE EVER: Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands, Scotland which was my first Drysuit and Wreck dive and introduced me to several blockships scuttled during WWI and WWII in an attempt to prevent German U-Boats from getting into the holding area for the British Naval Fleet. So much more good wreck diving there - looking forward to going back!

FAVORITE CRITTER:I love seeing Turtles, whether resting on a rock or swimming under my fins, which actually happened on a night dive in Key Largo.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am out running, reading, or spending time with my wife and little Japanese Chin, Romy

Eric Moore

CERTIFICATION: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I am an instructor who teaches classes and conducts refreshers!

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA:I was certified on my birthday April 13th 2014 in the Dominican Republic as part of my bucket list after a weekend course in the pool with Pan Aqua. I was supposed to learn to windsurf too but on my first dive I did a 3 foot swim through and was hooked. The next month back at Pan Aqua, I got my Advanced certification and the following month my Rescue certification. Then in 2015 I earned my Divemaster certification, and now I’m part fish.

BEST DIVE EVER:So many to choose from. I would have to say it was a lion fish hunt dive in Dominican Republic. We cleared the shallow reefs and found they were hiding deeper so we planned a dive down to a max of 130 feet to clear them. It was there I found my Moby Dick of lion fish. This one was so elusive, we played a game of cat and mouse as I chased it until I was 2 minutes away from Deco. I got him though!

FAVORITE CRITTER: Any type of Ray. Saw a Manta Ray so large in Costa Rica I could swear it said “I’m Batman.” as it glided over.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I work for an advertising agency creating broadcast and web videos as well as directing my own video shorts. You can also find me diving at the NY Aquarium on their volunteer dive team.

Lorraine R. Nelson

CERTIFICATION: PADI MASTER SCUBA DIVER TRAINER

# OF DIVES: 1500 + and a bazillion hours in swimming pool.

AT PAN AQUA: I teach Openwater, Dry Suit, Equipment, Buoyancy, Nitrox, and run the Divemaster Program. I order all the cool toys and help folks choose what works best them; and I help get stuff fixed when gear goes wrong.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: 12 years old on Martha's Vineyard Island at Menemsha Beach. When SCUBA instructors came to town that summer I talked my parents into letting me try it...then I never stopped.

BEST DIVE EVER: North Seymour Island in The Galapagos. When we were carried off course by a strong current my buddy Marni and I found ourselves in volcanic amphitheater loaded with turtles, sharks and big schools of fish. I believe it is a spot on earth that only we have seen.

FAVORITE CRITTER: The Great Pacific Octopus. On the northern tip of Vancouver Island their is an out cropping called Dylan's Rock; that is one place you can find them and they moved like liquid through the icy seas...and they were my size.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I volunteer at the Wild Bird Fund, ride my snowboard, and hang with my 3 parrots and 21 fish... and watch way too much baseball.

Edward Pattison

CERTIFICATION: PADI Master Instructor, EFR Child & Adult Instructor

# OF DIVES: Stopped counting after 1000 and that was years ago. Certified over 850 divers.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: In 1976 I went SCUBA diving with my younger sister & her boy friend. They had a sail boat in Long Island Sound. It was something I always wanted to do and they had all the gear. My most vivid memory was swimming into a jelly fish swarm. I fell in love with this sport & have been doing it ever since.

BEST DIVE EVER: Diving off the island of Kona in Hawaii. The way the volcano flowed into the ocean, it was like diving in the Grand Canyon. At 100 feet you could see the surface in this crystal clear warm water and the lava was on both sides of you. The marine life was unforgettable.

FAVORITE CRITTER: Sharks! This must run in my family. My two children & I love to do shark dives (my daughter has trouble staying in the cage). My son & I go out to Montauk, L.I. and do local shark dives.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: When I am not diving – you can usually find me in church. I am saved, sanctified & filled with the Holy Ghost. In real life I am a Registered Nurse.

Ed J. Quinnan

CERTIFICATION: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

# OF DIVES: 160+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I teach confined water classes and give refresher classes to certified divers.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: I’ve loved the water since childhood and have snorkeled whenever I have had the chance. As a member of the McBurney YMCA, I watched a dive class and thought “why don’t I try that?” So I took the confined water dives in 2013 and did my open water in Monterey, CA.

BEST DIVE EVER: I was in Palau where we tethered to a reef and watched the parade of fish swim by, from reef shark to Napoleon Wrasse to tiny fish in day glow colors.

FAVORITE CRITTER: Whale sharks! We swam with then off Cancun. Wonderful!

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: As a Jesuit I get to travel a lot and enjoy hiking new terrain. I just returned from Tucson where I hiked Saguaro National Park. I did pick up a few cactus spines and got a car stuck in a sand ditch, but loved the variety of life.

Melanie Shui

CERTIFICATION: PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer

# OF DIVES:Somewhere around 1000, I don’t really keep count.

AT PAN AQUA DIVING:I teach confined water: Midweek Open Water, Dry Suit and Wreck. Sometimes I make the run to Dutch Springs when my non-traveling weeks and Pan Aqua’s Dutch weekends coincide.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA:I signed up for a Discover Scuba Dive in Cabo San Lucas. After about 10 minutes doing a checkout in the resort pool, the Divemaster told me that I would love diving and suggested that I get certified instead of doing a DSD. I doubt he knew how right he was.

BEST DIVE EVER: The backside of Molokini Crater in Maui, it was within my first 20 dives after being certified. It was the dive of firsts: first deep dive (100 feet), first lionfish (not a pest in the Pacific), first wall dive, first drift dive, and first live boat pick-up. In the end, it was the dive that truly got me hooked on diving.

FAVORITE CRITTER: I like most aquatic creatures from nudibranchs to whale sharks. I love sharks and would love to see a great white in the wild, they’re just beautiful majestic creatures. I also love octopuses (or octopodes if you want to get technical) because they’re super smart and talented.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I work on new revenue products for a San Francisco tech company.

Steve Silverman

CERTIFICATION: PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer

# OF DIVES: 700+, including lots of cold and warm water dives.

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I teach the open water training dives for the open water course. I also have worked with the divemaster program.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: When I took a certification course as a junior in college (1975!).

BEST DIVE EVER: The Pelagic Magic Dive off of Kona, HI. It’s a night dive over 3000’ of water and you just hang on a line at about 35’ and see all kinds of incredible sea life come up from the depths to feed. They let us stay as long as we had sufficient air and I spent 90 minutes marveling at the amazing things that were going by.

FAVORITE CRITTER: Sea turtles of all sizes. I love their graceful movement.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am a professor and department chair at Teachers College, Columbia University. I also run and enjoy following politics.

Donald Stahl

CERTIFICATION: PADI IDC Staff Instructor

# OF DIVES: 200+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I teach Open Water primarily, but I can teach numerous specialties

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: 6 years ago in Aruba. Despite growing up around the water and having an aunt and uncle that dove, I kept putting off getting certified. When I finally got certified I loved it so much that I took another vacation 2 weeks later to do more diving and additional certifications..

BEST DIVE EVER: A drift dive on Molasses Reef in Key Largo that might as well have been an advertisement for diving. No kicking necessary, just relax and watch the showsea turtles, spotted eagle rays, reef sharks, barracuda, eels, etc. The moment one critter disappeared something even better appeared.

FAVORITE CRITTER: Yellow Jawfish. I just find them incredibly entertaining to watch..

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I'm either sailing or flying (or working- but who wants to think about that?).

Karen Sterling

# OF DIVES: Somewhere between 500 and 1,000. I stopped logging local dives at about #300, after my second circumnavigation of Dutch Springs. That was ca. 2006.

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I teach confined water courses, and conduct refreshers, PADI Reactivate, and Discover Scuba courses in the pool year round. During the local dive season, I certify Open Water, Advanced Open Water and specialty students at Dutch Springs. On Thursdays and Saturdays I enjoy helping novice and experienced divers in the store.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: In the pool at Manhattan Plaza during a Pan Aqua scuba class in October 2000. There was the initial warning from my brain - “Remember, humans can’t breathe underwater” - followed by the all encompassing “This is so cool!” when I took that first breath. I’ve been part of the Pan Aqua community ever since.

BEST DIVE EVER: Cape Bernacchi, Antarctica. I’ve done two tours as a research diver in Antarctica. Traveling by snow mobile from our remote field camp, our research team once found a colony of Weddell seals reclining and cavorting on the ice around our dive hole, which had been dynamited into the 12-foot ice cap at the beginning of the field season. In contrast to the bleak topside landscape dominated by ice, black granite and merciless sky, Antarctic waters are alive with vivid color. Visibility is limited only by the amount of light penetrating the ice ceiling: no algae growth at water temperatures of 28-30 degrees F! I also recommend the Solomon Islands for the incredible variety and mind-bending color of corals and animals.

FAVORITE CRITTER: Humpback whales. Their long migrations, social dynamics, complex repertoire of feeding techniques, and songs that evolve over years have fascinated me for years.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am a scientist and oncology researcher by training. I now work as a healthcare investment banker providing strategic advisory, fundraising and M&A services to companies in the life sciences sector. At some of my clients’ firms, I have filled interim C-Suite roles. I focus on helping early stage companies bring credible, cost efficient solutions to market, shaping the future of healthcare innovation. In my not so ample free time, I enjoy running, good food, and classic movies.

Sean Steyer

CERTIFICATION: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

# OF DIVES: 400

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I am most often helping run the Dutch Springs trips. I carry tanks up and down the hill! I have also been spotted helping out in the pool now and then.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: Turks and Caicos Islands. Mr friend talked me into trying the "club course". I never was much of a water person. While we were learning our skills off the beach Jo Jo the dolphin interrupted our class and played with us for a while. I instantly thought "this is the coolest sport EVER!

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am a television editor. I do a lot of food network shows. I am an avid cyclist, and gym rat. I am a big fan of all sports. Football is my favorite.

Dave Tosi

Certification: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, DAN Instructor

# of Dives: 150+

At Pan Aqua Diving: I am an Open Water Scuba instructor and can teach the following specialties: Deep Diver, Dry Suit, Enriched Air, Underwater Navigator, Night Diver, Search and Recovery, and Wreck Diver. I also teach as needed the DAN Emergency Management Provider Course (Emergency Oxygen, First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life, Neurological Assessment and Basic Life Support).

First Breath on SCUBA: 1981 at the US Military Academy. They don’t kid around there – Navy dive tables, ancient equipment and underwater tasks that push your limits. It made me very confident of my skills and limits.

Best Dive Ever: In a so-so dive location in Negril, Jamaica. One dive I saw a seahorse and octopus in the daytime that changed all sorts of colors and 4 spotted eels mating including egg/sperm release. All captured on film!

Favorite Critter: Nudibranchs, Mandarin fish

When I am not diving: I still work – darn it. I love to cook; enjoy the grandchildren and reading - mostly history and fantasy.

David Vogt

CERTIFICATION: PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer

# OF DIVES: 500+. Lots & lots of bottom time.

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I am qualified to train divers at all levels, from open water to divemaster. Specialties include side mount diver, underwater navigator, Nitrox, deep, and drysuit.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: Summer of 1990 in a pool on West 57th Street.

BEST DIVE EVER: Penetration dive into a virgin cave in the cenote Sistema Sac Actun. I served as a reel man.

FAVORITE CRITTER: Whale shark. I will never forget the first time I encountered one in Playa Del Carmen. I had the feeling something was watching me, turned and saw a fish the size of a mini-van. Spectacular.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I dream of the day when my office is going to be the back of a pickup truck next to a cenote where I can guide and train cave divers in the a Yucatan.

Ruth Yasky

CERTIFICATION: PADI Master Instructor

# OF DIVES: 1000+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I teach the EFR, O2 and Rescue Diver classes. I was Pan Aqua’s first open water to Instructor student.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: I worked as a lifeguard at Manhattan Plaza Heath Club and would watch Pan Aqua set up for the dive class. I tried snorkeling in the Bahamas and loved it. I went to Beneath the Sea and saw slides from the Cayman Islands and I said I want to do that and I want to go there. I did and more.

BEST DIVE EVER: I haven’t been there yet. You don’t know what the next dive will bring.

FAVORITE CRITTER: I enjoy Flamingo Tongues and Indigo Hamlets which you can see throughout most the Caribbean.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I work full time as a Bookkeeper on the upper west side.

John Borelli

CERTIFICATION: PADI Divemaster

# OF DIVES: Just under 100

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I lead charter divers on tours of the wrecks at Dutch Springs, help Instructors teach scuba classes, and (occasionally) drive the equipment van.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: July 2016 with Pan Aqua in the pool on W 43rdSt!

FAVORITE CRITTER: Sharks. Saw my first in Key Largo as a kid and have always loved them.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am working my day job (strategy consultant), biking, practicing yoga, or exploring Brooklyn with my dog, Bandit.

Eric Gilmour

CERTIFICATION: PADI Divemaster

# OF DIVES: 150

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I help out in the pool or open water classes on weeknights.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA:Fall of 2008 in the cold Puget Sound.

BEST DIVE EVER: It's like asking a parent to choose their favorite child. Hawaii's Molokini back wall: live boat drop, loads of interesting pelagic sea life, and swam with dolphins at the end of the dive!

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING:I work in software engineering, play saxophone, and volunteer with the USAF Auxiliary doing search and rescue.

David Harris

CERTIFICATION: PADI Divemaster

# OF DIVES: 560+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I assist Open Water training at some of our Dutch Springs trips.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA:Turks and Caicos. I tried the resort course at Club Med and got certified right away when I got back to new York.

BEST DIVE EVER:Darwins Arch Galapagos Islands. It was one of only two trips that I have seen whale sharks. The other trip was in the Maldives.

FAVORITE CRITTER:Nudibranchs

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am playing golf, biking and trying to keep up with my 4 and 7 year old girls.

Rushawn Henry

CERTIFICATION: PADI Divemaster

# OF DIVES: 200+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I work at the store!

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: Bush wick High School Pool, when I was age 14. I was on a class trip, that ended up changing my life forever.

BEST DIVE EVER: A dive site in Eleuthera, Bahamas called "The Cage". An 100ft, shark-proof, cage submerged in 115 ft of water. The lion fish, the Barracudas and having the girl I had a crush on as a dive buddy made dive. A home for fish and a sanctuary for humans.

FAVORITE CRITTER: Sea Otters, only critter that does everything cute.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am Dancing, Public Speaking, and Welding

Katie Jungers

CERTIFICATION: PADI Divemaster

# OF DIVES: 112

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I began my Divemaster program with Pan Aqua in May 2018. I completed my certification through Pan Aqua Diving and received my certification in August 2018. I’ve been excited to be part of the Pan Aqua Diving staff since my certification.

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: My very first breath on SCUBA was 2009 in Santorini, Greece where I completed my DSD with a long-time friend. This experience began my long-time love of the sport and I was convinced I needed to complete my Open Water certification. In 2010, I completed my open water certification in Koh Tao, Thailand and I’ve been diving ever since!

BEST DIVE EVER: I have so many! But, I have to say one of my most memorable and best dives was in 2010, when I went on a night dive at Bunaken, Sulawesi. As the sun was setting, I got to see two lovely mandarinfish carefully swim out of the coral several times before they knew the time was right to mate. Right at that time, a flamboyant cuttlefish swam behind the mandarinfish and magically took on the colors of the backdrop. It was amazing!

FAVORITE CRITTER: I don’t know if I have a favorite critter, but I do have a favorite juvenile fish that I just love ever since I set eyes on it in Belize. My buddy and I went out on our dive looking for little creatures, and when we saw the smooth Trunkfish Juvenile, who was such a cute little pea-sized little one bouncing over its coral home, I was in love!

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I teach high school Biology and Environmental Science, so most of my off-time is filled with grading papers, planning lessons or reading. I do like to run often and sign up for a few races throughout the year, and if there is a pick-up game of basketball I’ll jump right in! But, to be really honest, when I’m not working or running, I am always researching and planning my next dive vacation!

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am boxing, restoring coral reefs, engaging in underwater archaeology, or working for the Billion Oyster Project.

Lisa McIntyre

CERTIFICATION: PADI Divemaster

# OF DIVES: 100+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I am a Divemaster who loves assisting with classes and leading dives. I especially enjoy helping students get over a challenge!

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: Was at Dutch Springs, doing a Discover Scuba Diving class. It went terribly for me! After that, I tried again in the Dominican Republic and fell in love with diving. (This is proof that sometimes you have to try a few times and not give up.)

BEST DIVE EVER: Was when my husband, my three children and I all dove together for the first time, in Ambergris Caye, Belize.

FAVORITE CRITTER: Sharks! I also enjoy the challenge of finding frogfish and seahorses.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I am planning a dive trip, reading about diving, and I also enjoy skiing, cooking, photography and helping with veterans’ causes. I serve on the board of a charter school in Hoboken.

Michael Mitchell

CERTIFICATION: PADI Divemaster

# Of Dives: 300+

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: Presently I am a Divemaster for Pan Aqua, and we all know the amount of work that entails, let’s just say, “I’m very busy, but loving it.” I have done numerous trips with Pan Aqua – Bahamas, Maldives, Cayman Islands, etc..

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: I was in Jamaica where I saw a scuba diving sign, the guy told me, I can teach you a 3 hour class in twenty minutes (if I only knew what I know now), I did it and was hooked. Two weeks later friends said we're going to the Bahamas, so I thought, “wow, I can do this scuba thing again,” wrong, I got there and they asked me if I was certified and I said “no,” they said I can’t do it...I was bummed but vowed this would never happen again. I got certified the following week!

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: It was the mid-1970’s, and there was this girl....

BEST DIVE EVER: Best dives are like the weather, they come as God sends them; each dive a treasure hunt on wrecks, in sand, colorful reefs, or head stuck in the muck – explain to a non-diver what it is like seeing ladybugs underwater. For these reasons, I think my best dive is bound to be my next dive.

WHEN I AM NOT DIVING: I may be found skiing, sailing, or doing whatever my wife and/or cat is telling me to do. Now and then I take some pictures; now and then I do some writing; now and then someone publishes those pictures and writings. When I am doing none of those things or diving, I serve on staff at Beneath the Sea.

Steve Rogan

CERTIFICATION: PADI Divemaster

AT PAN AQUA DIVING: I am a divemaster who assists with classes and conducts refreshers!

FIRST BREATH ON SCUBA: April 2008 - Turks & Caicos. I started off in the pool and finished my Open Water Certification with 4 dives in the crystal clear 85 degrees Caribbean Sea.